SSB Productions: The Lion King
by SonofJones
Summary: The Super Smash Brothers adapt one of the most famous and celebrated animated films ever. First in a series of SSB adaptions I'll be doing. When the prince and future king Link is born, all celebrate save for Scar, the child's uncle who wishes to become king. As the child grows, he will face many challenges that will determine if he's worthy of becoming king...
1. Intro & Act 1 Prologue

Hello there and welcome to my adaption of the famous movie The Lion King. A couple things to note before we get started. First, this is an adaption so naturally it won't be exactly the same. However the differences will) resemble the lions from the lion king musical: they have lion heads on their own with the lion mouth open to reveal human faces. The females are covered from shoulders down in fur while the males are covered from the waist down and wear shirts (i guess the extra hair went to their manes lol) and trust me there is a reason for this. Third, this will be the first in a series of ssb adaptions i'll be doing (please go to my profile for more details). Let me know what you think, possibly what you'd like to see and lastly I'd like to do a few more Disney adaptions before moving on so if there are any in particular you'd like to see let me know. Enjoy the show :)

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_As the overture played in the theater, the patrons filled into the auditorium, filling up the seats. The music playing was soothing and upbeat, allowing the audience to ease into the atmosphere of the play that was about to be performed. Some who had heard the soundtrack before recognized it as "I just can't wait to be King". As they discussed amongst themselves and continued to find their way to their seats, a two-dimensional flat man that was black from head to toe known as Mr. Game and Watch sat in the sound room, waiting for the signal to start the show. It was currently 6:58, two minutes before the show was set to begin. He was a bit nervous as he was hoping to get the signal a few minutes ago so that they would have time to spare before the curtain was raised. However, he guessed that any second now the signal would come. However, more seconds past, and more and more until it was now 6:59, one minute until the curtain was set to rise. Game and Watch really began to worry now; they must be rushing back stage to get everything ready, but why were they behind schedule? Was somebody late showing up earlier? Had someone _still _not shown up, a key player perhaps? What if something happened? What if something went horribly wrong that destroyed the show? Worse, what if someone had gotten hurt? The thought shook Game and Watch but fortunately just a few seconds more and he was relieved. He got a message from Kirby who was helping back-stage, saying that Peach had shown up late but they were now ready to go on at any moment. Game and Watch sighed with relief while also scoffing to himself a bit, since Peach had been notorious throughout the entire production for showing up at the last possible second, to the point where Game and Watch felt somewhat silly for not realizing that was probably what was holding them up. He looked at the clock for a few seconds until it turned to 7:00 pm and turned on the microphone, announcing, "Ladies and gentleman, please find your seat, we will begin the show in just a few moments."_

_He turned off the microphone and waited a few moments as the remaining people standing hurried to their seats and as those sitting sat up, paying attention to the giant red curtain in front of the stage. The overture faded out and for a good moment, all in the theater went quiet. Game and Watch gave the signal to the people back-stage, and the curtain rose, revealing the dark stage as the play began._

**-Act I Prologue: "Circle of Life"  
**

The beaming sun rose over the horizon of the Savannah, shedding its beams on the land, driving away the night and bringing in the new day. As the sun came into view, the chorus chanted,

"Nants ingonyama bagithi baba. (Sithi uhhmm ingonyama)."

The chorus sung loud and full of life, fitting the new life brought by the sun. As the sun's light spread over the Savannah, the animals looked up to meet the dawn. For this was not any normal dawn, but one that was the most important one for them since a similar dawn 35 years prior. The rhinos, antelope, merkats and cheetahs all looked to the east's goldenness, knowing the importance of this day and of the journey they would all have to make.

"Nants ingonyama bagithi baba. (Sithi uhhmm ingonyama)."

At the same time, the river birds looked up to the sky to see that night had passed, though the riverbank vegetation currently blocked out the sun. Nonetheless, they gathered together and ascended into the air gracefully, flying higher and higher as the dawn came into full view, it's light hitting the nearby waterfall and making the misty falling water turn a light orange.

Further north, the elephant herds marched towards their destination as well. The massive creatures' feet stomped into the ground as they walked through the morning mist, the mountain north of them blocking most of the sun's direct rays as they marched east. Birds flew over them, cawing and flying over the hills until they were free to admire the sun's brilliance as it shined on them, flying over the streams, the water reflecting the golden sunshine and lighting it up with untold brilliance.

A mother giraffe and her child walked over the top of a hill and saw the morning, the sun now raised into the sky past the point of dawn but still early in the morning. They saw down the hill and in the distance in front of them to the east the elephants, rhinos, antelope, cheetah and all different kinds of animals marching together towards their shared destination. A lone female singer began to sing, loud and full of life,

"From the day we arrive on the planet  
And, blinking, step into the sun  
There's more to see than can ever be seen  
More to do than can ever be done."

The zebras from the north galloped from the bare ground paths from over the distance, joining the other animals in their march. They galloped alongside the elephants as the brilliant animals dwarfed the zebras by comparison.

"There's far too much to take in here  
More to find than can ever be found  
But the sun rolling high  
Through the sapphire sky  
Keeps great and small on the endless round"

The animals made their way through the stream and up and over the hill to behold their destination; a gigantic rock in the far distance, standing steep and grand like a mighty tower, and towards the base was another massive rock, this one attached to the other and slanting up and outwards like a pathway to the edge, acting as a mighty balcony for whomever stood there. The animals filled into the land below and around the rock, known as Pride Rock, as there stood someone on the balcony, a mighty lion with stunning blue eyes and a black mustache, revealed through his fur and mighty red mane. On his chest was a stunning red shirt, the color of the king. At his side was a broadsword with a golden hilt in its sheath. A blue fairy zoomed over the flooding animals up to the balcony, standing before the great lion. The fairy, known as Navi, bowed before her king who smiled and nodded.

"It's the Circle of Life  
And it moves us all  
Through despair and hope  
Through faith and love"

An elderly chimpanzee climbed up the rock to the king. The chimpanzee carried with him a staff with a mushroom on the end and was considerably smaller than the lion, but was nevertheless welcomed by the king with a warm and friendly embrace. Smiling, the two turned to down the rock, where sat the queen holding an infant in her arms. The lioness had sparkling blue eyes and blonde hair seen through the opening in the lion mouth. The king and his friend walked towards them.

"Till we find our place  
On the path unwinding  
In the Circle  
The Circle of Life"

The king kissed his queen on the head and looked down at his infant son, now waking up to see everyone. The chimpanzee, Toadsworth, approached the babe and playfully dangled the end of his staff in front of him. He then broke open the mushroom at the end and stuck his thumb inside, inserting it in orange liquid that he spread across the infant's forehead. He smiled, taking the child in his arms as the king and queen smiled approving. Toadsworth turned and walked back up the rock to the balcony edge, and raised the child up into the air for all the animals to see.

"It's The Circle of Life  
And it moves us all  
Through despair and hope  
Through faith and love"

All the animals cheered for the revelation of the newborn prince. The various sounds of them could be heard, the Zebras stomping into the ground, the monkeys screeching, the elephants sounding their tusks etc. As this occurred a beam of light suddenly parted the clouds and shone down on the infant prince, a nearly divine light, a sign that the Circle of Life was in circulation still; for the Circle of Life was what allowed the animals of the savannah to prosper, it was what kept things in balance.

"Till we find our place"

All the animals of the kingdom bowed down as low as they could as the light shone down on the prince. Toadsworth held him up proudly as the king and queen walked up to him from behind, in awe of their son's celebration and choosing. Together, the entire kingdom united in sprits for the birth of the prince, the one who would one day become king…. The Prince Link.

"On the path unwinding  
In the Circle  
The Circle of Life"

**The Lion King**


	2. Act 1 Scene 1

Here's the next chapter, as always please leave honest reviews and let me know your thoughts. Enjoy

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**-The Future King-**

A tiny mouse scurried out of the hole in the stone, sniffing around. It looked around and ventured forth a bit, suspecting no danger. This judgment was mistaken, however, as the mouse quickly learned when a massive paw slammed into the ground around the mouse, before it pick the tiny creature up by the tail. It looked up to see what was holding it; an unusual looking lion. His fur was brown unlike the typical yellow and he had a black mane. His eye was blue, but the look he had in them made it seem as cold as ice. Yes, eye… for his right eye was shut permanently and there was a scar running from his eyebrow down to right above his cheek. He had a black mustache, wore a green shirt and at his side was a silver-hilted rapier in a sheath. The lion spoke to the mouse in a bitter voice, "Life is unfair, little mouse. For example, I will never be king… just as you will never see another day."

The mouse thrashed around trying to free itself but the lion's paw held its tail firmly as he opened his mouth, prepared to consume the creature. As the mouse looked into the black abyss of the lion's mouth, sure of its demise when the lion was stopped upon hearing from behind, "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"

The lion sighed bringing his paw down to the ground looking behind at the blue fairy servant of the king, asking impatiently, "What do you want, Navi?"

"I am here to announce that King Mario is on his way," Navi announced, before adding accusingly, "So you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning!"

The lion paid this no mind as he noticed the mouse had freed itself and was sprinting back to the rock and inside, out of sight as the lion said nonchalant, "Now look there Navi, you made me lose my lunch."

"You'll lose more than that when the king is through with you!" Navi warned, "He's angrier than a hippo with a hernia."

"Oh," the lion gasped with sarcastic concern, "I just quiver with fear…"

Navi backed away, noticing the lion's eyes narrowing on her as she said fearfully, "Scar don't look at me that way!"

She took off trying to fly away, screaming, "HEELL-"

Her words were cut short as Scar pounced forward, closing his mouth around the fairy. Just a second later, he heard a disapproving warning from the side, "Scar!"

Scar turned to see King Mario standing there, eying him intensely as he ordered, "Let her out."

Scar obeyed and spat Navi out hard into the ground. Navi gasped and heaved for air as she got up flying to her king's side, saying, "Impeccable timing your majesty."

Scar put on a fake smile as he approached the king. He was a bit taller than the king, but not as muscular or well-built. He said condescendingly, "Why if it isn't my dear brother ascending from on high to mingle with the commoners!"

Not in the mood to deal with his attitude, Mario got straight to the point, "Peach and I didn't see you at the presentation of Link this morning."

"That was today?" Scar asked, playing dumb, adding sarcastically, "Oh I feel simply awful! Must have slipped my mind…"

Navi moved forward towards the lion, "Yes, well, slippery as your mind may be, as the king's brother, you should have been first in line!"

"Oh I was first in line," Scar said, unthreatened, focusing his cold eye on the fairy, causing her to move back as he continued, "Until that little hairball was born."

"That 'hairball' is my son," Mario said bluntly, moving in front of Navi to meet Scar's gaze, "And your future king!"

"Well, I'll just practice my courtesy then," Scar smiled sarcastically, turning around and beginning to strut away as Mario barked, anger rising, "Don't turn your back on me Scar!"

"Oh no, Mario," Scar replied calmly, "It's you who shouldn't turn your back on me…"

Mario roared running around Scar, jumping in front of him as he drew his mighty sword, pointing it at his brother's chest, now on the very edge of lashing out as he hissed, "Is that a challenge?"

"Temper, temper," Scar said with a tsk as he nudged his brother's blade away walking past him, "I wouldn't dream of it…"

As he walked away, Scar looked back at his brother Navi as he finished his statement with thinly veiled condescension, "You see when it comes to brains I got the lion's share, but when it comes to brute strength, I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool…"

Scar held his head with fake shame as he went off. Mario sighed deeply, sheathing his sword. He shook his head, asking, "What am I going to do with him?"

Navi flew up to near the king's head as she suggested jokingly, "Well, he would make a nice throw rug."

"Navi!" Mario exclaimed with amusement at the fairy's attempt to lighten the mood as she continued, "And just think; whenever he's dirty, you can drag him out and beat him."

Mario shook his head smiling as he walked back to Pride Rock to be with his wife and son again.

That night, as twilight neared, storm clouds gathered over the kingdom. This was soon followed by thunder as a mighty rain poured over the land. In a lone and mighty open canopy tree in the savannah, Toadsworth was at work drawing on the huge branch as he saw lightning bolts strike the ground in the far distance, followed by roaring thunder. This did not at all surprise him, as he remarked, "Ah, the circle of life continues…"

In his thoughts, he could still hear his old mentor saying to him, "On the day the one destined to be the next ruler is presented to their people, at dawn there will be a sunrise unrivaled in beauty by any other save the sunrise of the previous presentation. At twilight a mighty storm will come and produce great rainfall to relish the land, but the storm shall harm no life on the savannah."

Toadsworth smiled as he finished drawing a lion that was at the end of a long line of lions (and some lionesses). To distinguish from the lionesses, Toadsworth drew a lone line across the forehead of the lion he just drew, for the lion was not yet king but would be one day. He smiled and said to himself, "Link…"


	3. Act I Scene 2

**-The Prince's Education-**

It was dawn at Pride Rock, and yet ten-year old Link was fully awake and full of energy. He wore a green shirt and had blue eyes like his father. He stood outside the Lion Den and saw the pre-sun rise light peak over the horizon, making it purple and pink. Excited to see that the sun would soon rise, he ran back inside to the den full of sleeping lionesses. His parents were sleeping on the far end of the cave. Link ran through the crowd, occasionally jumping over one as he made his way to the king and queen. At one point he accidently tripped on a lioness's leg, causing her to growl a bit as Link apologized, "Sorry."

He made his way to his parents and knelt by his sleeping father's side nudging him smiling, "Dad, come on wake up today's the day."

Mario ignored him sleeping more as Link persistently said, "Dad you promised come on."

Peach woke up to see the excitement in her son's face and smiled, saying to her husband, "Your son's not going anywhere until you wake up."

"From dusk to dawn, he's your son," Mario replied, eyes still closed. Link nudged his father a bit more, his smile unfading as he said," It is dawn dad."

Mario yawned smiling a bit as he roused from his sleep, "Very well. Just don't wake your brother."

Link smiled as his father stood up stretching. His eyes wandered to the small lion cub by his mother's side that wore a green shirt. Mario looked down at his son and the two carefully made their way out of the den and looked off to the distance to see the sun's first light beginning to peak over the distance. Mario motioned up to the path that run up to the top of Pride Rock, saying, "Come."

"You mean…" Link began to ask getting even more excited.

"Yes," Mario said, smiling, "If you are to learn of your kingdom, it would be better done from as good a view as possible."

Link smiles following his father up the path as it winded up the rock to the top. As they neared the top, Link sprinted the rest of the way jumping onto the top of the gigantic rock and ran towards the edge, mesmerized by the sun set. Mario walked to his son's side as the boy let out, "Wow…"

"Look around Link," Mario said, "Everything that the light touches is but a part of our kingdom. And it's full of creatures that look to us for leadership and guidance."

Link looked all around, taking the kingdom in. As he looked north, however, he noticed something he never noticed before; over a set of hills lay a small valley and at the bottom lay a dark area, the sun's light unable to reach it. It was about a quarter kilometer east of the waterhole. Link looked at this area for a few seconds before asking his father, "What's the dark shadowy place?"

"That place is forbidden," Mario said, his face turning serious, "You must never go there."

"But why?"

"It is forbidden!" Mario said shortly, catching his son off guard, who said apologetically, "Sorry."

Mario's face lightened up a bit as he touched Link's shoulder, "No, it is only natural that you be curious. And as the future king, you will need to learn everything you can about the kingdom. However, there are other things you must learn before we get to boundaries of kingdom and king."

"Boundaries of king?" Link asked confused, "But I thought a king could do whatever he wanted."

Mario smiled at his son's naivety chuckling a bit, "Oh there's much more to being king than simply getting your way all the time."

"There is?" Link asked intrigued as he followed his father down the path back down.

"Indeed," Mario replied, "As king, your primary duty will be maintaining the Circle of Life."

"The Circle of Life?"

"Yes, it is what determines the state of our kingdom. It is driven by the actions of the ruler of the land. When the kingdom is ruled by one the circle has chosen, the circle will be in balance and the kingdom will prosper and all will be well. When it is not, however, the circle will fall out of balance and the kingdom will fall into despair and suffering," Mario explained to his son. Link asked, "What do we do if the ruler isn't right?"

"Then the Circle of Life will deliver a sign to the one it has chosen to replace him,"

"So that's how there have been queens that were rulers in the past?"

"Yes that's right," Mario said, "Since lions can only sire lions."

"But why are there no other males besides us, Uncle Scar and Roy?" Link asked, referring to his younger brother.

"Every summer, the Circle of Life chooses a group of lionesses to give birth to more lionesses,"

"I think I understand," Link said as they reached the bottom of Pride Rock as the rising sun was now in full view. Father and son walked out into the savannah as the animals stirred and rose to meet the day. Mario said to Link, "The Circle of Life is not something known only to us lions. All animals know and obey the circle. The elephants, the birds, the antelope. All are a part of the circle and prosper from it."

"But Dad, don't we eat the antelope?"

"We do. However, when we die, our bodies break down into the ground and become part of the soil. The soil thrives and grows vegetation, which includes trees, bushes, grass,"

"And the antelope eat the grass," Link said, smiling as he realized what his father was getting at. Mario smiled and said, "Indeed."

The two climbed over a hill, looking into the distance as a herd of elephants made their way across the plains. Navi flew up behind them, sitting on a rock, curtseying, "King Mario."

"Navi," Mario replied.

"I have the morning report your highness,"

"Fire away," Mario smiled, pleased to have a chance to set an example for his son.

"There's some issue between the chimps and the giraffes this morning, the chimps are concerned about safety in passing through the pride lands to the water hole…"

Navi went on like this, but Link paid no attention, having turned away to the few mounds of dirt to the side. He drew his wooden sword and leaped at one of the mounds striking it. Mario noticed his son doing this and asked, Navi still going on, "What're you doing?"

"Pouncing," Link said nonchalantly, jumping at another. Mario smiled as Navi asked, "Shall I continue sire?"

"Oh yes," Mario said, "Just turn around if you don't mind."

"Oh very well," Navi said turning the other way as she went on. Mario turned to his son and instructed in a whisper, "Now, stay low in the grass, keep your eyes focused on your target. Inch slowly towards them, and when you have them in jumping range, pounce."

Link smiled as Mario guided him through the motions, helping Link conceal himself in the grass as he moved towards Navi. Mario let go and Link inched a bit closer. As Navi suddenly stopped and turned around as if suspecting something, Link leaped up at Navi, wooden sword in hand and knocked Navi to the ground, though not in a way that would injure her. As Link landed, he heard his father laughing in amusement. Navi started glowing red as she flew up back into the air, saying agitated, "Really, sire, I do wish you wouldn't encourage him."

"King Mario!" A rhino shouted, running in from behind towards the group, "Hyenas have been spotted in the pride lands, about 2 dozen."

Mario's face grew worried and determined as he turned to Navi, commanding, "Take Link home immediately."

He drew his sword preparing to follow the rhino as Link asked, "Can I come too?"

"No, Link, it's too dangerous, go with Navi," Mario said, before running off with the rhino. Link stood there disappointed as Navi, having gone back to blue, said, "Don't worry I'm sure your father will be fine."

"I know he will be," Link said, "Just wish he didn't have to go."

"Don't worry," Navi said encouragingly, "I have no doubt he'll make swift work of those hyenas, especially with the rhino troops to help."

Link smiled a bit, saying, "I know, Dad's dealt with a lot worse enemies than some dirty dumb hyenas."

"Indeed," Navi said, "But we must hurry, because dumb and dirty as they may be, hyenas are not creatures you want to encounter, especially without support."

As they began to make their way back to Pride Rock, Link asked Navi, "Navi… you think Dad's a good king right?"

"Of course," Navi said without hesitation, "And I'm not just saying that. He's truly an exemplary ruler."

"And he's a great warrior too,"

"Indeed, one of the greatest that I've ever heard of,"

Link nodded, in thought. Navi noticed this and asked, "Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"

"Not really, it's just… I'm not sure if I'll be able to live up to him… Be as great as he is…"

Navi flew close to Link's shoulder, trying to console him, "Well, despite what some of the stories about him would have you believe, your father was once a lion cub just like you, and I'm sure he too was nervous about trying to live up to his father as king."

"But, do you think I'd make a good king?"

"The Circle of Life chose you. So long as you stay on the right path, I believe you will make a fine king one day,"

"Thanks Navi," Link smiled as they walked back to Pride Rock, Link feeling more reassured now.

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Well here's the next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed :) Btw in case you're wandering there is a reason Scar is still so named here. No it's not an OC he has a real name but you'll learn all about it much later. As always, review, make suggestions and enjoy. Have a nice day :)


	4. Act I Scene 3

**-Link's temptation-**

Later that day, Scar sat alone on a rock looking out into the pride lands. Link ran up to him from behind, calling, "Hey Uncle Scar!"

Scar turned, noticing the young prince, "Oh, hello Link."

"Guess what?"

Scar mumbled under his breath, "I despise guessing games…"

"Dad just got back from fighting the hyenas!" Link said excited, "The rhinos with him said he could've easily taken them all on single handed!"

"Oh how exciting!" Scar exclaimed with fake joy (though Link could not tell how artificial it was) as the prince replied, "Yeah, I wanna be brave like him one day."

"Well as they say, every journey begins with one step," Scar said encouragingly, "It's never too early to prove your courage."

"How could I do that?"

"Well, when the time comes, I'm sure you will be able to prove it," Scar reassured him. Link pondered for a moment, "Well, there is this place… It's east of the water hole, and Dad said it's dangerous…"

"You must mean the Elephant Graveyard…" Scar said with a hint of dread as Link's eyes widened in excitement, "An elephant what?!"

"Graveyard," Scar explained, "It truly is dangerous. Only the bravest of lions would dare enter that place…"

"Well, I'm brave," Link said confidently

"Oh I'm sure you are," Scar said, "But I trust your father told you not to go there?"

"Yeah, he did," Link sighed. Scar smiled a bit, "Aww I can remember what a young rascal your father was at your age. I can remember all the times when your father and I were just cubs and got into all kinds of trouble and have all sorts of adventures."

Link looked up smiling as Scar smiled, pulling a rapier dagger from his side, handing it to his nephew, saying, "Here, a gift from your uncle."

Link took the weapon in his hand, whispering, "Wow…"

He examined the dagger, moving it around slowly to look at it from all angles as Scar instructed, "Now, be very careful with that understand?"

"Yes, Uncle Scar," Link smiled. Scar messed with the boy's fur saying, "Run along now."

Link smiled, running away waving back, "Bye Uncle Scar!"

Once the boy was out of sight, Scar smiled to himself, "Perfect…"

Link ran until he reached a cliff overlooking the pride lands, where the mother lionesses were bathing the cubs. Link made careful to conceal the dagger under his shirt as he went to where his friend Zelda was getting bathed by her mother. She said to him, "Hey Link."

"Zelda, you gotta come with me to this cool place!"

"Umm Link, kinda busy right now," Zelda pointed out as Link heard Peach say from behind him, "And it's time for your bath as well."

She then picked him up and started bathing him as he protested, "Mom! Mom! You're messing up my mane!"

Peach smiled as Link struggled free and jumped down, "Ok, I'm clean can we go now?"

"So where is this place anyway?" Zelda asked as Peach added, "Yeah, where is this 'Cool place'?"

"Uh, it's near the water hole," Link smiled as Zelda exclaimed, "The water hole?! What's so cool about the water hole?"

"I'll show you when we get there," Link whispered through his teeth at her as Zelda realized, replying, "Oh."

She looked at her mother, saying, "I'm clean now can I go with Link?"

"I don't know about that," one of the nearby lionesses commented, "Hyenas have been spotted in the pride lands several times in the past couple months."

"Well the king did drive them back this very afternoon so they probably won't be back for a couple weeks at least," Zelda's mom pointed out as she asked, "What do you think Peach?"

"Well…" She considered as the cubs asked, "Please?"

"All right with me," the queen smiled as Link and Zelda high fived each other, before Peach added, "But only if you take Navi."

"Aww, not Navi…" Link said in disappointment.

* * *

I know this one's pretty short, but hope everyone's enjoying the story up to now and stay tuned for more to come :)


	5. Act I Scene 4

**-"I Just Can't Wait to be King-**

Link and Zelda walked across the savannah trail, the water hole now in sight. Navi flew over them, keeping an eye out for anything alarming. Zelda whispered to her friend, "So, where are we really going?"

"An elephant graveyard," Link said. Zelda exclaimed, "Wow!"

"Shhh," Link silenced her, "Do you want the fairy to hear?"

"Hurry up you two!" Navi called from above, "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can head back."

The cubs walked through the tall grass and came upon all variety of animals at the hole drinking out of it. Link spotted a rhino who was about to leave and called out, "Hey Saru!"

The rhino spotted the cub and smiled, replying, "Hello young prince."

The cub ran up to the rhino asking, "Can I ask for a favor?"

"Absolutely,"

Link whispered in the rhino's ear as Navi landed on a nearby rock. The rhino smiled and nodded. Link turned and walked over to an open spot to drink but bumped into Zelda going for the same spot. The two laughed a bit and Link allowed Zelda to take the spot. Navi smiled flying over to them, "Why, I can already see the romance blossoming…"

"What do you mean?" Link asked as Zelda drank. Navi answered, "Well, one day, when you come of age, you must take a wife of course."

"What? Why?" Link asked as Zelda looked up as Navi continued, "In order to create the next leader of our land of course."

"Who says I need to? One of the lionesses can take on after me," Link said, not considering the option as Navi said, "Oh just say that in seven years, when you two come of age and have fallen in love and get engaged to marry."

"I can't marry her, she's my friend!" Link protested as Zelda agreed, "Yeah, it'd be too weird."

"Well you're bound to end up marrying someone," Navi said as Link smiled, saying, "I'm gonna do lots when I'm king, just not that."

_Music began playing in the background as the show began to build towards a musical number, the same music that was playing in the overture_

Navi crossed her arms, asking, "Oh? And pray tell, what are you going to do exactly?"

Link sang, _"I'm going to be a mighty king, so enemies beware!"_

"_Well I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair!" _Navi sang, plucking the cub's hair as he continued, _"__I'm gonna be the mane event Like no king was before I'm brushing up on looking down I'm working on my roar!"_

Link roared, knocking the fairy down as she got up singing, _"Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing."_

"_Oh I just can't wait to be king!" _Link exclaimed as Navi flew up to his head, singing, _"You've got quite a long way to go young master if you think-"_

"_No one saying 'do this!'!" _Link sang

"_Now when I said that I-" _Navi began but Zelda interrupted, singing, _"No one saying 'Be there!'!"_

"_Now what I meant was-" _Navi tried to say before being interrupted by Link, _"No one saying, 'Stop that!'!"_

"_Now what you don't realize-" _Navi began before Zelda cut her off, _"No one saying, 'See here'!"_

"_Now see here!" _Navi exclaimed before Link and Zelda ran past her amongst the animals as Link sang, _"Free to run around all day!"_

"_Well that's definitely out of the question," _Navi muttered before the cubs jumped on top of a rock, Link singing, "_Free to do it all my way!"_

"_I think it's time that you and I arranged a heart to heart," _Navi said, flying up to them, but the cubs jumped down past her as Link continued, _"Kings don't need advice From little hornbills for a start!"_

"_If this is where the monarchy is going, count me out! Out of service, out of Africa, I wouldn't hang about," _Navi sang, before adding, _"This child is getting wildly out of wing!"_

"_Oh I just can't wait to be king!" _Link sang, _"Everyone look left! Everyone look right! Everywhere you look I'm standing spot light!"_

"_Not yet!" _Navi pointed out as the animals joined in, "_Let every creature go for broke and sing. Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing .It's gonna be King Link's finest fling!"_

"_Oh I just can't wait to be king!" _Link sang as the animals gathered, singing in the background as the prince sang, _"Oh I just can't wait to be king!"_

"_Oh I just can't wait to be king!" _Link sang at the top of his lungs as Saru stood on his prancing feet, purposely falling back towards Navi. Seeing the mighty creature about to fall on her, she quickly retreated into a hole in a nearby tree as he came crashing down. _The music stopped suddenly. _Saru laughed as a monkey asked, "What was that all about?"

"Oh just some harmless fun Prince Link wanted to have with the fairy," Saru said as the monkey looked around, asking, "Where is the prince?"

Saru looked around for a bit but saw that Link was nowhere to be found. He stood up, allowing Navi to fly out as he said to himself, terror in his face, "Oh no…."


	6. Act I Scene 5

**-The Elephant Graveyard-**

Link and Zelda ran along the Savannah, hiding behind a rock and looking back the way they came to make sure they weren't followed. Behind them was an edge that led down to the pit where the shadow was cast They saw no one behind them and smiled to each other, Zelda said, "Good, we lost her."

"Thanks to my plan," Link said with a proud smile. Zelda nudged him playfully, "Oh be quiet."

"Make me," Link challenged with a smile. Zelda replied, "Very well."

She then playfully tackled her friend, accidently sending them over the edge and rolling down the hill towards the bottom of the pit. She pinned Link down and smiled as he struggled, bragging, "Pinned ya."

The two were distracted by a gust of wind blowing from the canyon. The two looked over and saw another edge beside a giant skull of an elephant. The walked to the edge and saw miles of bones, some massing in hills, sprawled out over the canyon. Amazed by the site, the two let out, "Wow…."

They turned back to the elephant skull as Zelda asked Link, "I wander if it's brains are still in there."

"Let's check it out and find out," Link said, moving towards it only to find a blue fairy dart in front of him, saying lecturing, "The only checking out you'll be doing is out of here!"

"Why?" Link asked as Navi added, fearfully, "We are all in grave danger here…."

"Danger?" Link scoffed moving behind her, his back to the skull as he added, "Ha, I'm a Lion Prince. I laugh in the face of danger, ha ha ha!"

Link laughed a proud laugh but was cut short when he heard more laughter, coming from inside the skull. He turned around, backing away towards Navi and Zelda as he saw three hyenas emerge. They had pirate sabers at their sides as well as various daggers. One of them was an extremely pale male with yellow eyeballs and black irises. Another was a blue-skinned woman with a sly smile. The third was another pale man with black eyes and white hair showing through the opening in his fur. They laughed as they approached the trio before them.

"Well, well, what do we have here Zant?" The blue woman asked the male with yellow eyes.

"Looks like a couple trespassers Veran," Zant replied as the three started circling around Link Navi and Zelda. The other two asked the third together, "Ghirahim?"

Ghirahim smiled dumbly and nodded. Navi spoke up weakly, trying to explain, "Well this was great, but we just took a slight wrong turn in direction so we'll be on our way."

She sped up the last part as she tried to motion for the cubs to follow her out but Veran stood in front of them, saying, "Wait, I know you. You're Mario's little stooge."

"I am the King's prime servant," Navi said proudly as Zant said to Link, "And that would make you-"

"Future king," Link said proudly. Veran turned to him asking, "Do you know what we do to kings that step outside their boundaries?"

Link scoffed and said defiantly, "You can't do anything to me."

"Technically they can, we are on their land," Navi said nervously, trying to keep the hyenas at bay as Link asked, "But Navi, you said they're just a bunch of lowly, scheming vultures."

"Oh did he now?" Zant asked, eying the fairy as she spoke at a mile a minute, "Well look at the time we really must be going!"

Once again she tried to guide the cubs towards the hill and up but Veran cut her off again asking, "What's the hurry? Why don't you all stay for dinner?"

Zelda backed away from her fearfully, bumping into Zant. The hyena laughed as she turned to the side, backing away from the now advancing hyena. Link went to draw his dagger, shouting, "Stay away from her!"

However, Veran caught him by the arms, holding him as Zelda tripped over something falling flat on her back. She looked and saw that it was a rock. As Zant laughed uncontrollably from her pathetic fall, she picked up the rock, throwing it at his head. The projectile made contact, hitting him square in the forehead and sending him stumbling back, wincing in pain. Seeing an opportunity, Link kicked backward, hitting Veran in the shin, causing her to loosen her grip enough for Link to struggle free. He noticed that Ghirahim was too stupid to comprehend what to do next on his own. Link sprinted towards Zelda as she got up and grabbed her hand, running down the hill, Navi close behind them. As they reached the bottom of the hill, they heard Zant shout, "Don't just stand there, get them!"

The cubs sprinted down the path now available to them, passing between several piles of large bones, eventually reaching a massive pile of them. They began to ascend up the hill as they heard Navi shout, "Hurry, I can see them!"

Link sprinted up as fast as he could, but as he neared the top, he heard from behind him a cry, "Link!"

He turned and saw Zelda slipping down the pile, the hyenas making their way up to her. He sprinted down the hill towards his friend as Veran neared her, pulling out her saber. He pulled out his dagger as he reached Zelda and Veran raised her blade. He slashed at her in semi-blind fury, scratching her cheek. As she stumbled back, knocking back the other hyenas, Link and Zelda got up sprinting up the hill. As she felt the scratch on her cheek sting dreadfully, Veran growled up towards the cub. She and the others got up, now more determined than ever, and made their way to the top in pursuit.

The cubs ran down the hill on the other side, slipping and falling, sending them tumbling down the rest of the way. They got up running as fast as they could as they saw the hyenas get to the bottom of the hill, closing in on them. They turned and stopped just in time to avoid hitting the wall. They turned in either direction but saw walls blocking them. They turned back the way they came and saw the hyenas blocking the way, blades drawn. They had run right into a trap they could not get out of.

Link grabbed Zelda by the arm, putting his friend behind him as he held up his dagger defiantly, commanding, "Stay back!"

The hyenas simply chuckled and inched closer towards the cubs, their sabers pointed at them ready to strike. Link took a deep breath and roared as loud as he could. Unfortunately, being a cub, it lacked the power or intensity of a full grown lion and sounded rather pathetic to the hyenas, who simply laughed more as Veran commented condescendingly, "Awww look the cub thinks he's Mario."

"Yeah, why don't you try again, mighty lion?" Zant mocked. Link took his challenge and roared again. This time, however, a loud and mighty roar was heard that echoed all throughout the canyon and made everyone freeze in their spots. They all looked up and saw Mario falling towards the ground, landing in between the cubs and the hyenas. His mighty golden-hilted sword was drawn and the ground shacked hard as he landed with the intensity of an earthquake, causing the cubs to fall down. Mario charged towards the hyenas as they stood, frozen in fear for a moment, barely raising their sabers in time to block his attack. From his right to left stood Ghirahim, Veran and Zant, and it was in that order he swung at them. He sliced clean through Ghirahim's saber, severing it as the powerful strike continued, knocking Veran's saber out of her hands and to her right as the swing continued still, striking Zant's saber, letting out a large PING as they collided. He pushed his blade forward, as Zant bent over backwards trying to hold off the mighty strength of the lion, who forced the hyena's own blade closer and closer towards his own neck. He sensed Veran retrieving her saber and, having to act quickly, picked up Zant with one hand and threw him against the wall and kicked his saber away, turning around to parry Veran's attack. He swung at her head from his right, swung around swinging at her right side, and swung at her head from the top. She barely managed to block the first two, but the third sent her blade crashing to the ground as the king picked her up as he did Zant throwing her at him. He was just getting up but the female hyena fell on him, sending them to the ground. He saw Ghirahim rushing at him with a dagger and didn't even have to raise his sword, instead grabbing the hyena by the wrist that held the dagger, spinning him around and throwing him at the others. He then leaped towards them, graceful even with the massive weight his blade must have carried, and landed in front of the hyenas as they scrambled to get up. But upon looking up and seeing the mighty lion towering over them, they did not dare move, instead lying there submissively. Veran and Zant immediately started rambling, trying to make up excuses for their actions. This continued for a moment before Mario roared, "SILENCE!"

The two did as they were told. Mario looked down at them, his eyes glaring at them with furious fire that burned into their souls and rendered them paralyzed as he said to them, "If you ever come near my son again…"

"Oh that was your son?" Veran said, terrified and playing dumb, "We didn't know he was your son did we Zant?"

"No, no idea," Zant said, playing along equally terrified as Veran added, "No of course not?"

Together, the hyenas asked, "Ghirahim?"

Not getting the idea, the third hyena nodded dumbly as Mario roared once more as the hyenas cowered in fear, before getting up and running away as fast as they could. Mario allowed them to escape as he stood there, breathing intensely. Navi flew over to him, saying proudly, "Impeccable timing as always your majesty, I really must-"

Mario turned to the fairy, glaring at her with the same intensely, rendering her mute. He then turned away from the three he had just saved and began walking away as he sheathed his sword. Navi turned to the cubs and motioned for them to follow. In shock from what they had just witnessed, the cubs shook as they stood up but nonetheless began to follow the king and fairy out of the canyon, still taking in all that had just happened. They had simply gone on an adventure to a mysterious land; it was all just supposed to be good fun. But they had no idea that this was the lair of those hyenas… those hyenas that had tried to kill them… that was such a bone-chilling thought. Those hyenas had actually tried to kill them. They were not playing around or playing a prank, they had attacked them with intent of making them their dinner, and they almost succeeded… They would have succeeded had it not been for Link's father. Had he shown up a moment later, there would have been nothing left to save… As they climbed out of the pit, the sun was beginning to set over the distance and the cubs knew it was going to be a long walk home, with plenty of time to mull over thoughts of the day's events.

* * *

Longest chapter so far :) Hope you all enjoyed it and as always please review.


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